Ventilated stop signal casing



Nov. 1,1932. H. c. aol-:NET 1,885,912

- VENTILATED STOP SIGNAL CSING Filed Feb. 16, 1951 Zz-a onenvEN-ron,

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 1, 1932 rrr HERMAN C. BOHNET, OF LANSING,MICHIGAN VENTILATED sror SIGNAL cnsrne Application led February 16,1931. Serial No. 516,122. y

Practically all stop or trac signals are operated by electrical currenteither for use of light bulbs, carbon arcing lights, motors or otherelectrical devices, all of which are usually encased in metal or othercontainers to protect them from the elements. It is a known fact thatlight bulbs and motors generate excessive heat while in use, the heatbeing greatly increased when placed in enclosures, in fact, sufficientto greatly reduce the life of their usefulness, further that whileVentilating tubes or air chiots are provided, such openings usuallypermit dust to enter and accumulate on the lens, bulbs and otherlmechanism to such an extent that periodical inspection and cleaningoperations are necessary to insure clear and eective signal de vices. Itmay, therefore, be considered the objects of my present invention toprovide means of changing or replacing the stagnant hot air inside theenclosure with fresh air other than by gravity intake, and to overcomethe accumulation of dust within the enclo` sure that enter through portholes or other openings while the signal is in operation, withoutimpairing ventilation.

To the attainment of the foregoing the invention consists in theimprovement hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure l is an approximately central vertical longitudinal sectionalview through a traiiic signal in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view approximately on the line 2 2' of Figure 1,looking' in the direction of the arrows.

The signal housing or casing 1 carries the usual signals and thesesignals are operated in the usual manner by an electric motor generator2. The housing 1, adjacent to its top and above the signal lamps, isprovided with a continuous series of spaced air ports or Ventilatingopenings 3 and is likewise provided with a second series of suchopenings 4 arranged between the bottom or base 5 and the false bottom 6of the casing 1. shaft of the motor I secure the hub of a suction fan 6.The fan is arranged in a housing 7 The face of the housing in which theOn the fan is received is open and the bottom of the housing is formedwith an extension 8 that passes through an opening in the false bottom 6of the casing or housing 1 and is secured tothe said false bottom.

The suction fan is rotated when the motor is in operation to operate thesignals and the turning of the suction fan will draw 4air through theports 4. These ports maybe covered by a mesh disc 9, although theemployment of such discs is not an absolute requirement, and for thesake of illustration I have ydisclosed only one of such Vdiscs in Figure1 of the drawing. The outside air is drawn by the fanthrough the housing1 and is directed against the motor to prevent dust accumulating thereonand for retaining the .motor in a clean condition. The air is caused tocirculate entirely around the inside of the casing l and will lind anoutlet through the. outer ports 3. y The air thus circulated will ejectany dust from the casing or from any of the parts of the signaloperating mechanism therein. The regulation of the air necessary to cooland retain the parts on the interior of the casing 1 in a cleancondition is to be governed by the size of the suction fan required. Therush of air created will be sufficient to eject or hold out all dustthat would otherwise find its way through ordinary vent openings.

Having described the invention, I claim A means for circulating air andejecting dust and dirt from a housing that has mechanism thereinoperated by an electric motor and in which the housing is provided withan upper and lower series of air ports and with a false bottom arrangedabove the lower series of ports and upon which the motor rests and a'suction fan driven by the shaft of the l motor, comprising a hollowangle member in whose horizontal branch the suction fan is received andwhose vertical branch is secured to the false bottom and communicateswith the space between said false bottom and the bottom of the housing.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HERMAN C. BOI-INET.

